Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
NewsCut
Bob Collins

Snow emergency in rhyme

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Few people have ever really understood the rules for snow emergencies in Minneapolis (or Saint Paul). Nothing that the city tries ever seems to work. As every storm ebbs, the cash registers seem to overheat at the impound lot.

So, you've got to give Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak a little credit for resorting to

prose

verse to try to explain the rules.

Last night, he invoked Cupid to warn of the 8 a.m. start to plowing...

Since this is the week/To say je t'aime/Move her car off the even side/By 8 a.m./(Plowing on even side starts at 8 am)

— Mayor R.T. Rybak (@MayorRTRybak) February 11, 2013

And this afternoon, he invokes a papal inspiration

Snow's winter's gift/comes right from God/So by 8 am you're a sinner/If a car's on street that's odd/(Plowing @ 8am on odd side of sts)

— Mayor R.T. Rybak (@MayorRTRybak) February 11, 2013

There's a pretty good chance, though, that if you depend on poetic tweets, you're going to get towed.

The city's website notes that this is Day 2 of the snow emergency and here are the official rules:

Do not park on the EVEN side of non-Snow Emergency routes. (Example: house address number: 1356 Maple or 2512 17th Ave.)

Do not park on either side of parkways.

Park on the odd side of non-Snow Emergency Route streets (example: house address number 1359 Maple or 2513 17th Ave.).

Park on either side of streets with the red sign: Snow Emergency Route.

No parking on EVEN side of non-Snow Emergency routes

After a street is fully plowed, feel free to park there, even if Snow Emergency parking rules are still in effect. Fully plowed means the street is completely cleared and plowed as wide as possible. Plows may come through more than once, so make sure that it is fully plowed as wide as possible before parking.

Day 3 - 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

At 8 a.m., Day Three parking rules begin.

Do not park on the ODD side of non-Snow Emergency Route streets (example: house address number 1359 or 2513 17th Ave.).

Park on even side of non-Snow Emergency Route streets. (Example: house address number: 1356 Maple or 2512 17th Ave.)

Park on either side of streets marked with the red sign: Snow Emergency Route and you may park on parkways.

Snow Emergency Day 3: No parking on the ODD side of non-Snow Emergency routes.

After a street is fully plowed, feel free to park there, even if Snow Emergency parking rules are still in effect. Fully plowed means the street is completely cleared and plowed as wide as possible. Plows may come through more than once, so make sure that it is fully plowed as wide as possible before parking.